The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-11-24
1HEARMx.

1NE ARMY.
Gen. oherldan'o Annual Report,
Containing Points Of Especial In
terost to People Of tho Northwest.
Washingtsn. Special Telegran. Nov. Is.
In his annual report issued to.day. Lieut.
Gen. Sheridan. referring to tho trouble on
the Grow reservation in Montana, says:
The agent. from the best iniormatioa
that l have, while an honorable. ~
meaning man. is not very we'll calculated
to deal with wild Indians, being somew hat
dea vor to establish discipline, attempted to
enforce his power without giving the In
dians chance to cool Of after their in.
dulgences. A might have been expec, ed,
from people OF their character, resistance
was Immediately threatened. REPORTS of
the trouble having reached Washington. I,
after consulting with the secretary of the
interior. went to St. Paul. intending, II
necessary. to continue on to Fort Custer,
but. receiving q full report Of the circum-
stances from Gen. Ruger, the department
commander, ! did not deem my personal
intervention necessary, but instead d.
rected him to proceed to the scene OF trouble
and assemble there such q force that their
numbers alone would overawe the malcon.
tents and render resistance impossible.
This has been done, and. az those directly
concerned In the trouble are only 1T in
number, anticipate no difficulty in their
eubjusation. Gen. Ruger will cause the In.
dams who have taken a principal part In
thls AFFAIR to be arrested, and to
among them I authorized him to enlist
about thirty OF their number as scouts
and take tbom to Fort Custer. The Crows
have always been friendly and make it .
boast that they have never killed q white
man, and it would be q great pity il any.
thing should now occur to disturb the
peaceful relations OF so long standing
and am confident that Gen. Kruger will be-
able to effect Il permanent settlement that
will be satisfactory to the Crows, a. well
a. to ourselves.
CONCENT RATING TROOPS. W
Gen. Sheridan says of tho proposed con.
centratioa of troops:
TIE extension OF railroads throughout
the division which has suddenly pro.
crossed during the year will bring some
posts that were formerly supplied
in easy reach. and will also obviate the ne
cessiry for longer retaining some OF tho
smaller ga, risons. In pursura nee of this
theory. the policy ofconcen trating into lar
ger posts in the vicinity OF railroad centers
has Tor several years been advocated, and
many minor positions now retained only
because they afford shelter for the troops
not Is yet provided for elsewhere will DO
abandoned as soon as accommo da tions
can be obtained at the regi'nental posts
now either building or contemplated
tho new posts at Denver. where
it Is proposed to place ten com.
paniss, will shortly he commenced. That
at San Antonio has been progressing
favorably during tho year. The ground
for the new post near Chicago will pass
into the possession of the government at
an early day. At Fort Smelling both the
reservation and other attendant condi.
tions are favorable for the establishment OF
\ large garrison, and only some additional
buildings ore required for their accom-.
Riley has been actively prosecuted during
the year, but before it can be completed
additional appropriations will be neces.
sary.
SOME GENERAL MATTERS.
From the report it appears that
at the date of the last consolidated
returns the army consisted Of
including Indian scouts. Tho lieutenant
general briefly sums up the condition OF
the various divisions OF the army. and OF
the division OF the Missouri, says:
While it has been free from Indian hos.
tilities OF any magnitude many operations
OF u minor nature have been rendered nee.
sssary. Troops have been continually &C.
cupe,l in patroling the Oklahoma country
and have been successful in keeping intrud-
ers out OF that region. The gradual spread
OF railroads throughout the territory can,
however. ultimately have but one effect.
and l am now III opinion that congress
may we'll consider the advisa bility of open.
ing up portions at least OF this
country to settlement. The general re.
views the difficulties arising in Aapuse last
dian reservation. and their formulation
through the intercession OF Lieut.. Burnette
with a small detatchnent OF the Ninth
cavalry.
Gen. Sheridan does not look favorably
upon the proposition OF Gen. Miles to
separate the Indians now at San Carlos in
to several ca,ups, about 100 or 200 miles
apart, deeming it for the best interests OF
Arizona and OF the Indians themselves
that they should be kept In one body, and
the duties necessary for their control con-
centratcd at single point.
divided into different bands" he says.
leach location might become the center Of
disturbances, and the difficulties of their
supervision would be greatly increased"
INCREASED DEsERr1oNs.
The general expresses regret at the fact
OF q slight increase in tho number OF de-.
sertions during tho year. and sses no REM
edy for it.. He looks favorabIy on the
new plan OF monthly payments. He says:
The recruiting service has enlisted an in.
creased number Of good men. Discipline is
good. The artillery, infantry and cavalry
schools are reported to he doing good work,
and the army has greatly improved in rifle
practice. The general renews his recon-.
mendas;on that 5000 men be added to
the army and that two ma jors and two
captains be added to each infantry reei-
ment. He recommends the appointment
OF a board to frame revised tactics to
meet the changes in handling men occa-
stoned by changes in the methods Of war.
The general urges as q measure highly pro-
motive OF efficiency the retirement OF about
eighty old officers who are unfit for duty,
but whose retention IN the active list en-
tails additional work on the men who are
at the same time withheld from promo ton
thereby; The time is near at hand when the
army should be supplied with machine
guns. Unless an effective arm OF this
character is developed by an American
manufacturer very soon, the government
should adopt some foreign repeating gun.
Our coast defenses have continued to de-
teriorate during the year. Adequate de-
lenses must be the work OF years and at
tanned ut heavy outlay. In tho mean
time the dynamite gun experiments show
valuable qualities and good results within
their rangs, and experimenting with view
to their .uture development should be en-
couraged. Desirable features arc the speed
with which they can be manufactured and
their compare tive inexpensiveness.
THE NATIONAL GUARD.
Gen. Sheridan concludes his report az
follows.